Alfalfa drier and mill.



W. E. RIGKEY. ALFALFA DRIER AND MILL. APPLICATION nun JULY 29. 1908.

ANDREW CD. Puanu mlMmwmn W. E. RIGKBY. ALFALFA DRIER A'ND MILL.

APPLIOATIGN FILED JULY 29, 1908.

2 T mm 6. n T Wu NM d2 8 LIU n .w a P 00 9 1 O 4 9 "UNHE STATES PATENTFFKC WILLIAM E. RICKEY, OF ROCKY, OKLAHOMA.

ALFALFA DRIER AND MILL.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, lViLLIAM E. Brenna, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rocky, in the county of Viashita and State of Oklahoma, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Alfalfa Driers andMills, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides novel means for removing the moisture fromalfalfa without destroying its nutritive qualities or detracting fromthe appearance of the product, the removal of the moisture enabling thealfalfa to be ground to provide meal or food in granular or comminutedform.

The invention is designed primarily to devise a mechanism of peculiarstructure for utilizing artificial heat in effecting the drying of thealfalfa, said structure embodying means for successively pressing,cutting and heating the alfalfa to thoroughly remove the moisture and tocomminute or reduce the same to the shortest lengths possible, both forfood or to be subsequently ground to provide meal.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the meansfor effectin the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings.

lVhile the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions bychanges in the structure and minor details without departing from thespirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment isshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a drier embodying the invention. Fig.2 is a sectional View of a portion of the drier. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line :rw of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on theline yy of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the primary rotary cutter.Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the pressure rolls.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The apparatus comprises a feeder 1, the same consisting of an endlessapron or carrier mounted upon rollers and provided with teeth to engagepositively with the alfalfa or like material and advance the same to theoperating mechanism. A pair of feed rolls Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed July 29, 1908.

Patented Nov. 1.6, 1909.

Serial No. 445,996.

2 and 3 are located at the delivery end of the carrier 1 and are drivenat a higher rate of speed than said carrier to prevent the latterdrawing any of the alfalfa or material downward at the delivery end. Arotary cutter d is located opposite the pair of feed rolls 2 and andcomprises a series of spirally arranged blades. A stationary cutter isinterposed between the rotary cutter 4t and the lower feed roll 3. Pairsof cutter rolls 6 and 7 are located below the cutters t and 5 and actsuccessively upon the alfalfa or material upon its descent. The rolls 6are formed with annular grooves, whereas the rolls 7 comprise spacedcutters or disks arranged to match with and operate in grooves of thecompanion rolls (5. A spout 8 leads upward from the lowermost pair ofcutting rolls 6 and 7 and the material is fed therethrough, thisoperation being effected by means of a fan blower 9 which creates ablast through said spout of sufficient force to move the materialtherethrough. A series of pairs of cutter rolls are located at intervalsin the length of a shaft 10 with which the upper end of the spout 8communicates. The number of pairs of cutter rolls 6 and 7 will dependupon the capacity of the appliance and the degree of fineness to whichthe alfalfa or like material is to be out. A second spout 11communicates with the lower end of the shaft 10 and a. positive blast isestablished by means of a fan blower 12. A second shaft 13 is providedand is supplied at intervals in its length with pairs of pressure rollslet and between which the material is passed. The spout 11 communicateswith the upper portion of the shaft 13 to deliver the material theretofrom the lower end of the shaft 10. The pressure rolls 14c and 15 areheated and serve to remove the moisture both by expressing the same fromthe inaterial and by evaporation, the latter resulting from heating therolls which may be accomplished in any manner. It is to be understood inthis connection that there may be as many pairs of pressure rolls 14 and1.5 as desired and the same may be located in one shaft or in a seriesof shafts, the material being fed from one shaft to another by means ofa spout 16 in which a fan blower 17 is located. The medium best adaptedfor heating the rolls 14 and 15 is steam, the same being supplied from agenerator 18 of any type. The pressure rolls are hollow and each ismounted upon a shaft E 19 whose end portions are hollow, the hollow endscommunicating with the interior of the rolls. One end of each roll iscoupled to a supply pipe 20 and the opposite end to a return pipe 21.The shafts 19 rotate with the respective rolls and their ends make tightcommunication with extensions of the respective supply and return pipes.A. stutting box 22 insures the formation of a tight joint between theends of the shafts 19 and the extensions of the respective pipes 20 and21. The steam enters the rolls by way of the supply pipe 20 and aftercirculating through the rolls passes off through the return pipe 21.

In the operation of the mechanism, the alfalfa or like material to bedried and comminuted is placed upon the conveyer l and advanced therebyto the feed rolls 2 and 3 which in turn supply the same to the cuttingmechanism a and 5. The material then drops and passes between the cutterrolls 6 and T and thence successively through the shafts 10 and 13,during which travel it is further comminuted and dried. After leavingthe last set of pressure rolls, the matter may be either conveyed to amill to be ground into meal, or stored in a bin for future use, as maybe found necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a mechanism of the character specified, the combination of a carrier,a pair of feed rolls adapted to receive the material from the carrier, acutting mechanism, arranged to receive the material from the feed rolls,a series of vertical shafts, spouts conneeting the lower end of oneshaft with the upper end of the next shaft, and connecting the cuttingmechanism with the upper end of the first shaft of the series, fanblowers in the length of said spouts, pairs of cooperating cutter rollslocated in the lengthof one of the shafts, and pressure rolls arrangedin the length of another shaft.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ILLL-XM RICKEY.

\Vitnesses D. SANDERS, J. V. THARP.

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